What a Crowley Wants
by harperb
Summary: The team gets into a battle with angels and it didn't turn out well for anyone. Cass lost his wings and some power, Sam is now a ghost, and Dean is overwhelmed with the guilt. Crowley has taken it onto himself to get what he wants in an unorthodox way. He's able to use Sam as leverage, without Dean nor Cass knowing about it. Destiely type things included, but it's not just that!
1. Chapter 1

1.

Castiel kept readjusting in his seat. He just couldn't get used to his lack of wings. _This is what it must feel like,_ he thought, still feeling his phantomed feathers against his back, _to lose a limb... _He decided to move to the edge of his seat so he didn't need to think about it. Looking across the table, he notices Dean watching his fidget around.

"I'm fine, Dean." Cass muttered

All Dean did was frown and reply "I don't believe you." He didn't like thinking about what happened to Cass. Mostly because he knew he could have helped him, but he was too late. The guilt tasted sour on his tongue, so he tried sweetening it with a bite of pie. His stomach rejected it.

Dean pushed the plate away, "You done?"

"Yes. We should go see Sam now." Cass paused to watch Dean's eyes go hollow. "He'll be fine, Dean. The doctors say he should wake in a day or so."

Dean's hand clenched into a fist. He stood up and threw his cafeteria tray at the trash and walked away. Castiel rose, still shifting awkwardly, to follow him. Dean looked over his shoulder at Cass and felt a pinch of regret. He turned back and walked to the elevator and the angel came with.

As the silent elevator opened, a flood of noises came from Sam's hallway. The two sprinted to the room expecting something going wrong. And they were right.

Even though the noises weren't coming from Sam's bedroom, something did happen. A man was there.

Crowley.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean instinctively pulled out the Colt and Cass reached for the angel sword. The demon held his hands by his head.

"Hello there. I won't hurt him." He took a seat in the chair beside the reclined bed with an unconscious Sam lying on it. "I see Moosey isn't all that well."

"You guess right." Dean was pissed. He stepped towards him. "Now answer me before I put a hole in your face. Why are you here?" He couldn't see that Cass was staring directly as Crowley and Crowley reciprocated. "Answer my question." Dean enunciated every words.

Eyes locked on Castiel, he said "I overheard the little mishap with your brothers, Castiel." He tutted. "An angel without wings? Well isn't that-"  
"You leave Cass alone, you hear?" Dean had cut him off, "Or I'll-"

"Dean, stop." Cass put a hand on Dean's shoulder to calm him, if he could. "I'm not a child." Keeping his hand there, he looked back at Crowley. "Yes, it's true. It's quite a strange feeling, actually."

"I'd imagine. You're missing a part of your body! Oh, I'd hate that. So immobile." He chortled a bit, "Anyway, I'm here for you boys." He gestured around the room, ending at Sam. "Now I'd hate for you to go through with this again, but it isn't looking swell for Sammy-boy. And I do love the old school ways" Dean realized what the dealer meant, as did Cass.

"No, Crowley. Sam will be just fine." Dean was getting louder. People were starting to stare in. He had enough sense to put away the Colt. "He will be just fine. He'll wake up in a few days and we'll kick your ass straight back into hell. Where it belongs."

Castiel took his palm away from Dean and looked to the ground. "Dean, I'd-"

"You'd what, Cass? You aren't going to do anything on my watch. Nothing." Dean glared at Cass then back at the demon. "No one is making any deals."

"Alright, alright. I see how it will be." Crowley put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "See you in a few days, then." Faster than Dean's blink, the demon was gone.

Dean jumped to his brother's side and placed a hand on the coma-induced boy. "It's okay, Sammy. I got you."

Cass stayed in place, watching Dean hold his baby brother and repeat that mantra.

"It's okay." "I got you." "You can't leave me now, Sammy."

Cas wished he could spread his wings and leave them alone. To go without notice. To escape to some park in someone's mind.

But his family disowned him.

He'll have to walk for now on.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

_Loud thumps landed on Dean's ribs. Two angels were holding him back, causing him to fall to his knees. He strained wen he looked up to see Cass._

_Blinding lights were radiating from tears in his back. Dean tried screaming, but his voice was drowned out by Cass's own._

_Sam was lying on the ground, broken. Unable to fight. About to pass out. There was no need for an angel to watch him. His eyes were fluttering shut as one angel, ignoring all the commotion, walked up to him. He knelt down by his face and touched the younger brother's head. The man turned his head, what seemed to be 180 degrees, to look at Dean._

_Dean struggled to see who it was beside his brother, but it became clear._

_It was Lucifer._

_Dean thrust against the angels grip, failing to get free._

_"Sam!"_

Dean lunged forward out of his chair, his hand extended, reaching for his brother's bed. Sam was in the same position as he had been for the past three days.

Castiel ran through the door holding a cup of coffee. "Dean, are you alright? I heard screaming."

Dean realized he was kneeling on the floor, like he had been in his dream. "Yeah, fine. Just a bad dream." He grumbled, still groggy from his nightmare.

Cass knew when Dean wasn't telling the entire truth. Even though his power was mostly drained, he had the ability to read people. For Dean; however, it was mostly intuition. But he also knew when to let the subject go. "Oh, I see. I, uh, brought you some coffee." He paused and looked down at his feet, "That's what people drink, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Cass." Dean slowly rose from the floor, body aching. "That's what people drink." He grabbed the cup from the angel. A corner of his mouth rose as he sipped the bitter, lukewarm coffee. _Better than nothing!_ He thought to himself. Though Cass was an angel, he was learning and picking up a lot of human quirks. Dean has been appreciating them more and more lately. "Thanks." Dean looked down at Sam's stiffened body.

"How long do you think it will take for your angel mojo is up and running?"

Cass sighed heavily "I'm sorry, Dean. I don't think I'll ever be back the way I was." He stepped to him and joined in at watching Sam. As if something could happen at any second. "The most I can do is heal wounds like you had."

Dean hadn't thought about how badly beaten he was. Cass had helped him before his adrenaline wore off to bring the pain of broken bones. Then he laughed slightly to himself "You know, sometimes I wonder why you put up with us, Cass." Dean looked as Cass, who was watching his brother breathe "We've put you through so damned much and now this."

Castiel responded by shaking his head and then raising it to match Dean's. "I don't know, truly." His head fell to the side a little "You two seem more of a family to me than my brothers and sisters have.

For the first time in maybe his entire life, Dean outwardly cried. He leaned forward as if he was about to fall over. Cass didn't know what to do, as he hadn't encountered this predicament before. All he could think of was put his hand on his shoulder and hold him back. Comfortingly. To his surprise, Dean placed his own hand atop Cass's and his head jerked over to look up at the angel.

"There isn't any hope for Sammy, is there? He's gonna die and I'll have to be the one to burn his bones."

Even with all of the disasters he's seen over the past millennia, Dean's swelled eyes were by far the worst. "Dean, I-"

Castiel was interrupted by loud beeps and Dean jumping up and yelling "Nurse! Doctor! Someone!"

A team of doctors and nurses rushed into the small room. One of them told the two, "Please, you must leave."

Cass kept Dean from decking the kid. "You bastards can't keep me away from my brother!" He punched the air as the angel pulled him away and out of the room. When the last nurse shut the door and blinds, Dean fell, weeping.

"Cas, please. Help him. I-" His voice was stifled by sobs, "I need you to do this." He clawed at Cass's pants "For me."

Castiel was able to put together "Dean, I just can't." before they heard

"Well, well, well. I see Gigantor will be no more."

Dean got up fast. "Fuck you Crowley. What did you do to him? He was just fine until-"

Cass stopped him "Dean, stop. What's done is done."

They finally noticed that the alarms had stopped. The blinds were still closed, but they heard the team packing the equipment. Some chatter, too. The nurse that dean nearly punched opened the door, staying mostly behind it.

"I'm sorry, sir." He winced, "The time is 4:09 AM"

Crowley smirked at Dean and Cass, "Oh dear!"


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Dean and Cass put the last of the logs on the pyre before the lifting the white-shrouded body on top.

"Damn, Sammy." Dean muttered "How much did you weigh?"

A voice came up from behind them "You don't need to know that!"

Dean spun around as he pulled out his Colt from his waistband. Cas had already been staring at the man for a few seconds.

The man was in a hospital gown

"It's all muscle, jerk." He smirked

"Bitch!" Dean dropped everything to get past the star-stuck angel to Sam.

The brothers tried to hug, but Dean fell through him. "Oh, awkward." The ghost said, "Gotta work on that."

"Sam. Hello again." Castiel finally spoke up. "It's good to see you."

"Hell yeah, it is!" Dean looked as if he were a puppy who refound his favorite toy, "What happened to ya?" He went to pat his back, but, again, his palm broke through the figure.

"Hey! Stop that." Sam shrugged it off, "I really don't know. I said "No" to some chick. I ended up following you guys." He paused and looked down at himself "Anyone know how to get a ghost in some real clothes? I feel like I'm going to flash someone."

For the first time in days, Dean laughed. "But first, I think we should get you down from there" He pointed to the pile of wood crowned with white.

* * *

Dean pulled into the motel parking lot. All three felt it would be safer to keep Sam in the car and avoid people walking through him, instead of into. So while Dean got them a room, Cass stayed with Sam.

"So, Cass," Sam turned around to look at the angel. Ghost or not, Sam will always get shotgun. "How's it going between you and Dean?"

"Pardon?"

"Are you two..." He nudged his head, "_getting along_?"

Cas tilted his head "Yes, just fine. Why do you ask?"

Sam sighed "Cass, you know what love is, right?"

He pondered for a moment and said "Generally speaking, yes, I understand what love it."

To clarify, Sam added "Love as in having a profound bond-physically and emotionally. Not just like for food or faith."

Confused, Cas asked "I'm sorry, but how does this pertain to Dean and me getting along?"

"Well, Cass, it goes like this-" Just as he was starting, Dean knocked on the window. He jingled room keys at Sam's face "Got us a room!"

Sam turned around and floated out. The confused angel followed suit.

"I'm glad you kept some of my spare pants in the car. It's too hot to sit on the leather seats bare assed."

"You're the ghost!" Dean lifted an eyebrow "You don't even need to sit!"

The brothers laughed as they walked and Castiel looked at them in awe. He wished he had that connection with his brothers.

That _love_.

Thinking about what Sam said, Cass realized he wanted love. but more than _that _love. But where could he find it?

He shook the thought off and joined the two in the musky hotel room.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Contrary to what the three were used to, Sam stayed up to watch them. Ghosts don't actually needs sleep, so Sam messed around with his ghostliness. He was learning how to become and stay solid for longer periods of time. On occasion, he'd fall through a chair or walk through a bed on accident.

Sam didn't want to talk too much. He knew that Dean was a light sleeper and needed as much sleep as he could get every night- not just four hours.

He held onto his embodiment long enough to realize that the $1.50 he put into the vending machine was a waste because he didn't need food anymore. At least it was good practice! He set the bag of chips and soda on the table for Dean to eat later on. Sam watched the two sleep.

Cass was thrusting himself around, avoiding laying in certain positions. He took Sam's place in bed and really needed to. Cass was becoming more and more human every day. It was strange to witness.

The ghost heard a small noise from behind him, but didn't turn or flinch. "Don't even start."

A voice piped up "I wouldn't dare to, darling," Sam calmly turned around to see Crowley sitting at the table opening the snack Sam had left for his brother. "It's a shame the two aren't sharing a bed, isn't it?" He looked up and smirked at Sam. "How about we talk a walk as to not wake the Sleeping Beauties." Sam rolled his eyes and walked through the door.

Crowley popped up on the other side of the wall next to him. "That was rude. Not everyone here is a ghost, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam combed his hair through his airy hair and stood beside the Impala, "So get to the point. Why are you here again?"

"You do remember our agreement, don't you?"

"You bring me back, I get those two, "Sam pointed a finger at the room's door, "together, and I get my own slice of heaven. Demon and Angel free."

Crowley clapped slowly, "My, you have a great memory. Now why do you ask again?"

Sam grunted in return "Can you just tell me why you want _me_ to get them going at it?"

"You see-"

"It's not like," Sam interrupted, going off into a small part of his own world, "I don't think they work together perfectly. I mean, I can't count the times I'd wanted to shove them together onto a bed and leave the room!" He started pacing around and wished he was able to sleep "There is so damn much tension between those two, it's unbearable! But you didn't have to bring me back from the dead!" He finally stopped and looked at Crowley "So why did you bring _me_ back?"

The annoyed demon cleared his throat "As I was saying, _Moose_, before you interrupted me, it's quite irksome when I don't get the things I want." Sam snorted "You know, I can send you back into that pit. It'll only take a second." Crowley watched as Sam's face showed hints of fear. "Alright then. You know those two very well. And you also know that they won't do anything for themselves unless pushed to do it." Sam nodded in agreement "You're the only one those two will ever listen to."

Now Sam had a look of confusion "Okay, now _why_ do you want me to do this?"

With a hint of sarcasm, Crowley replied "Because it entertains me! You were dead, where else could I go to find enjoyment?"

Sam took a second to grasp what he heard "So let me get this straight. You took me out of hell, made me a ghost, for god's sake, and are making me lie to the both of them all for your _entertainment_?"

"Are you complaining?"

"Well..." He couldn't really come up with an argument to hate this, "not really. But why turn me into a ghost? Seriously? You're just lucky that I was able to figure out a way to change clothes."

Crowley scoffed "Yes, yes. Appearances are so important. I need you as a ghost so I can make sure you stay en route. Plus, I'd have a better eye on you three."

Sam waved it off "Okay, whatever. Dean should be waking up soon. If you want to save your ass, I'd leave."

The demon smirked "Whatever you say, ghosty." and vanished.

When Sam got into the room, he heard the shower running. Cass was still moving around, but he saw that more blanket covered him. _Ddi Dean cover him up? _The water stopped and Dean walked out with a towel around his waist.

"Where've you been?" He left a trail of water across the room as he went to get his clothes off of his bed.

Sam answered with "Oh, just working on my ghost things."


	5. Chapter 5

5.

"Now, Castiel, you can't fly away from your duties." A woman's voice came from the doorway of the pure white room "Not that'd you'd think of doing such."

"Duties?"

"Yes, Castiel. Your duties to the garrison. To _heaven_. Even without wings, you are still of benefit to us." The woman walked over and sat at the desk directly across from him. "I'm Naomi. We met quite a while ago." Cass squinted at her, trying to remember her face, but he couldn't place it.

"I'm sorry, I do not remember. But what would my duties be? I have no purpose here anymore. I don't see how I'd be of any use."

Naomi stayed emotionless "I don't expect you to remember me. We made sure you would not."

Cass was becoming skeptical of this meeting. After all, he had just laid down on the motel bed! He wanted to fly out, but he couldn't. His hands balled into fists. He was tired of not being told the entirety of the truth. "What were my duties then?"

"You don't need to concern yourself with that information at this time."

He wanted to know and it frustrated him beyond belief that this _angel,_ that he apparently knew, wouldn't tell him. He needed to let it go so he could get back to the Winchesters faster.

"Then what are my current duties?"

Naomi paused and contemplated how she should phrase the task. No matter what way she could say it, Cass would refuse. No matter what, she would have to _guide_ him. "Your mission is to kill Dean Winchester."

"No!" Castiel raised his voice and jumped out of the chair. I took one stride for him to be at the front of the desk-the only thing keeping him from killing her. "I will not do that. I owe my life to them. If you knew what they've done for me, you'd know that." His voice boomed throughout the room.

Naomi calmly rose and walked around the desk to stand in front of the seriously pissed off angel. She didn't feel at all intimidated by his vessel; even though it is a good 3 inches taller than her own. He is much younger and smaller than she in his true form. She hates how condensed vessels make angels feel.

"You have no choice." Naomi reached up and placed her palm on Cass's forehead. "You won't remember this, but you will answer when I call."

Before he could jerk back, there was a flash of light coming from her hand.

* * *

"Woah, Cass! You okay?" Castiel had jerked up in his bed and was breathing heavily. Dean was already at the side of Cass's bed gripping his arm. Cass noticed that Dean's skin was damp- or was it that he was sweating in his sleep? Then he saw that Dean's hair was also dripping with water.

"No, I'm... I'm fine. Thank you." He sniffed the air for a moment "Something smells," his eyes closed slightly, "different?" Habitually, his head tilted to the side.

Sam's voice popped up from the foot of the bed. "Yeah, Dean showered. _For once_" His sarcasm is always welcomed in Cass's eyes. Even though he might not understand, he can learn from it. But despite that, Cass groggily mumbled "I didn't see you there..." His voice was muffled from rubbing his face to wake himself up. "What time is it?" He tried looking at the clock, but Dean was still crouching at his side, blocking his view of the time.

Dean answered, "A bit before 7." He stood up, finally, "Why? You gotta date?" The brothers laughed as Cass sat awkwardly on his bed.

Sam thought _Yeah, it's you he's going with._

Dean thought_ It should be me..._

Cas thought _What did he mean by date?_ and gave a small "No I do not."

He rubbed his temples because of a headache he had. He felt so _human._


End file.
